What to do when running in the desert

September 21, 2011

So this is the format I like to see snakes in:

Most definitely not in their very live and bite-y format:

Last week when I was in staying in the  California desert and asked the hotel staff for a short running route that would bring me to Joshua Tree National Park, she detailed two options through the desert, and then added as an afterthought:

“Oh. But watch out for snakes.”

Say what?

“Oh yes, there are red rattlesnakes and green Mojave snakes, so keep an eye out for them.”

Thinking I could handle seeing snakes, no biggie right, I asked if the snakes would attack.

“Oh yes, if you come across a green Mojave it will attack you,” she said.

So I asked what to do if I encountered one.

“Make lots of noise while you’re running and you should be fine,” she said.

I noticed that she didn’t quite tell me what to do if I actually encountered one (I took that to mean you’re SOL if you do — and a quick google search describes this snake as  “most venomous” and its’ “feared and well-deserved reputation”).

Knowing I wouldn’t have the energy to clap and shout while running, I stuck to running along the road instead of through the desert.

Filed under: Healthy Swellness